Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848 – 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements.

Arlington is home to more than sixty permanent public art projects. These projects are commissioned by the County to be integrated into various capital improvement projects, commissioned by developers as part of the site plan process, and initiated by communities. Our Public Art Policy was approved by the County Board in 2000 and a Public Art Master Plan was adopted in 2004. Arlington’s history of developer-initiated projects, however, goes back to 1979 with the commission of Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park in Rosslyn.

We have hosted more than 40 temporary public art projects and continue to partner with local arts organizations, artists, and community organizations to develop, launch, and present interpretative projects, temporary works, exhibitions, and more. We expect to complete another dozen or so permanent projects within the next three years, and we are monitoring about 25 developer projects at any given time. Arlington Public Art is administered by Arlington Economic Development.

These stained glass windows originally ornamented the Abbey Mausoleum in Arlington. Built by the United States Mausoleum Company from 1924 to 1926, the Romanesque style structure neighbored Arlington National. With its granite exterior, marble interior, and stained glass windows, the mausoleum served as a prestigious burial ground. However, with the bankruptcy of the managing Abbey Mausoleum Corporation in the 1950s, the building fell victim to vandalism and neglect.

These stained glass windows originally ornamented the Abbey Mausoleum in Arlington. Built by the United States Mausoleum Company from 1924 to 1926, the Romanesque style structure neighbored Arlington National. With its granite exterior, marble interior, and stained glass windows, the mausoleum served as a prestigious burial ground. However, with the bankruptcy of the managing Abbey Mausoleum Corporation in the 1950s, the building fell victim to vandalism and neglect.

In 2000, the U.S. Navy gained ownership of the site and, based upon the mausoleum's poor condition, decided to tear it down. Arlington was permitted to salvage architectural features from the building, including the windows. At the same time, the enormous task of relocating remains and contacting the families of those interred at the mausoleum began.

Twelve of the thirteen windows, such as those installed here, had a simple geometric border with a central floral composition. The thirteenth and largest window portrayed Christ and was dedicated to E. St. Clair Thompson, a wealthy Mason interred at the mausoleum in 1933. While removing the stained glass windows, the inscription Louis C. Tiffany N. Y. was discovered in the lower right-hand corner of this window. The inscription coincides with those used by Louis C. Tiffany at the time this window was created, confirming its authenticity to the degree possible absent written documentation regarding its commission. Tiffany's stained glass studio was renowned throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The restoration and expansion of the Arlington Arts Center provided the windows with a new home. Three windows were restored using matching glass fragments from other mausoleum windows that were damaged beyond repair. The windows now reflect their original beauty and appear as they did when first installed at the Abbey Mausoleum decades ago.